Health Research for Canadians infographic
One of the most important investments we can make as a nation

CIHR is using the power of research to improve the health of Canadians, solve health challenges and make our health care system more efficient and effective.

Investments

$1 billion in annual investments to provide financing for 13,000 researchers and trainees

Where does the money go?

What does CIHR invest in?

Top 10 areas of research:

Charities / not-for-profit, Federal, provincial, territorial and international agencies, governments and organizations, Academic institutions, Industries, Health care and patient organizations

Collaboration

Making Canadians healthier is a collective effort. CIHR partners with over 250 organizations and governments.

Close to $200 million secured from partners for research

Ideas

Research is a journey. From the idea to the real world, research takes time. A new drug or device that is safe, saves lives or reduces diseases can take 15 to 20 years to bring to market.

But how does it work?

First step: Discovery

Identify an issue to explore or a problem to solve. Conduct research, increase our understanding and discover potential solutions.

Second step: Development

Ensure that ideas work in the real world – conduct interviews, trials and tests on new products, procedures, and models of care.

Third step: Delivery

Validate what works, for whom, under what circumstances, and how best to bring successful health products to market, implement proven health care practices and promote healthy lifestyles.

Sometimes, when a crisis arises, decades of research can help accelerate progress in a priority area. Canada was able to launch the Ebola vaccine clinical trials in less than a year.

Results

Health research saves lives, time and money.

Canadians today are living longer and healthier lives than ever beforeFootnote *.

Thanks to health research advances the cardiovascular death rate in Canada has declined by more than 75% since 1952 and nearly 40% in the last decade aloneFootnote *… and this is just one of many examples of health research in action and at work.

$215 billion dollars

This is how much we spend on health care every year in CanadaFootnote *.

As we age, we depend more and more on our health care system.

Investments in health research can help reduce health care costs. 

A project in Alberta has led to faster hip and knee replacements for patients. Led by the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute and several CIHR-funded researchers, this new centralized model of care is saving both time and money:

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